


Freefall

by adobochan



Category: Bleach
Genre: But it's weak smut, F/M, HitsuKarin Week 2014, Psycho Pass AU, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-11
Updated: 2014-04-11
Packaged: 2018-01-18 21:47:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1444075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adobochan/pseuds/adobochan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Psycho Pass!AU. An Inspector and her Enforcer are two of a kind, like a master and her loyal hunting dog. But Karin soon discovers that she and Toushirou might be something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freefall

**Author's Note:**

> For HitsuKarin Week 2014! It's a combination of prompts, including (Day 3) Alternate Universe, (Day 4) Bases, (Day 6) Taylor Swift's "All Too Well", and (Day 7) Time Machine. They're all vaguely incorporated with the exception of the AU aspect. That's all over the place. ;)
> 
> That being said, I'd highly recommend looking up a little but about the Psycho Pass!universe. I use a lot of references without really explaining what they are. Sorry. :( Wikipedia is your friend!

_Wake up! Wake up! Don't wanna be late for work, do ya?_

The annoying chirp of an energetic droid penetrated Kurosaki Karin's fortress of blankets and pillows. As usual, the little bird started off kind with her greetings but got angry when her owner merely covered her head and grumbled a 'shut up, you damned hologram.' Offended, the chiding became screeches that had Karin's eardrums bleeding as she reluctantly moved into a sitting position.

"Okay, Ririn, I'm up. Glad to see you're as gentle as ever," Karin grumbled as she ran her fingers through mussed hair. Her companion only snorted as she floated above her, somehow scowling with that unbending beak.

"And you're as difficult as you always are. No wonder you don't have a boyfriend," she tossed her nonexistent hair as she began brightening the lights. But the little canary was back to business just as quickly. "Preferred room settings, please."

Not fully awake, Karin said the first thing that came to mind. "My old room."

In panels of light the entire interior changed from dull shadows to her childhood home in Karakura. Yellow paint climbed the walls where there was nothing before as pictures hung in familiar old frames. Even her bed, which had been a plain single with white sheets, had turned sky blue. It was amazing how far technology had come. In the blink of an eye she'd traveled halfway across the country and back to Karakura where her family home was settled.

Reluctantly Karin got out of bed, feeling soft carpet instead of the hardwood floors it hid. The motions of getting ready woke her enough to get her to the table where breakfast was served. Never as good as Yuzu's but good enough when she turned on the news. Working as an Inspector bent on keeping the peace made even the best meals taste like sawdust sometimes.

She moved over to the long mirror and switched the settings to choose her clothing. The data for her work clothes was already programmed in but she hated walking around in uniform. No need to have everyone staring and pointing when she commuted.

"Seriously, Karin, you have no prospects? You're a girl with a powder blue Hue and placement scores that could get you into any job in the country. How is that possible?" Ririn whined as she transformed into a little blonde girl. She made a show of stomping her feet in outrage but all Karin could do was sigh tiredly.

"I don't have enough time to catch every criminal, let alone a boyfriend."

"But I've seen who you work with. I'm sure one of them is available." Not caring that it wasn't part of her domain, the girl skipped around in her frilly pink dress. "You won't know unless you ask."

"I also won't be asking because most of those people are latent criminals and I can't have that in my life right now," Karin tsk-ed as she settled on a pair of navy jeans and a comfortable lettermen. She rushed to the door as she waved behind her. "Don't wait up, Ririn! I'll see you when I get back!"

With the slam of the door, the settings melted away and the pouting child disappeared like the pretty illusions they were.

* * *

Sitting at her desk, Karin was finding it incredibly difficult to keep her mind on the task at hand.

_It's all because of Ririn bothering me today. Doesn't she have anything better to do than harass me first thing in the morning?_  Granted, it was her only job. She was programmed to take care of her in all matters and it seemed this was included in her database.

"Maybe I should update some of the old software," she mumbled as the Enforcers around her lazed about. A quiet day was a good one at the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division. That meant Renji was playing games while Matsumoto was having her hourly drink at her table. Her partner, Kuchiki Byakuya, had been called to a meeting with the Chairman not too long ago and wouldn't return for a while. A few of the other Enforcers were most likely milling about, happy to do nothing in their free time.

"Update what?" A masculine voice appeared dangerously close, making her jump as she spun around.

"What?" Her reply was met with a sarcastic huff, as the other crossed his arms over his chest. Broad-shouldered and with hair shockingly white, it was hard to miss Hitsugaya Toushirou in a crowd. Standing in front of her he was an imposing force, the perfect Enforcer.

"I said, what software are you updating?"

"Ah, for Ririn, my A.I. at home. She's been a little pesky lately," Karin shrugged before turning back to her work. She didn't like talking to Hitsugaya straight on sometimes. It felt too much like he could see through her.

He made an understanding but noncommittal noise and walked away, probably to go outside and light a smoke. She heard it was a recent habit. He started a few years ago not long after his Inspector rank was pulled and he was demoted to an Enforcer. Without his permission she'd dug a bit to find out why, cursing her inquisitive nature as she went through classified files in secret.

The prodigy had graduated at the top of his class with scores that made her nearly perfect marks hide for cover. Capable in both intellect and physical endeavors, Toushirou had come to the Criminal Investigation Division for the same reason as her. After the placement test he'd been the only one assigned for this organization and he'd taken his shot, becoming a well-known and competent detective.

At least, he was until two years ago.

The emergence of a criminal mastermind tarnished that perfect reputation. Karin had stumbled upon the story of the mad man who had manipulated Hitsugaya's adopted sister, a school teacher named Hinamori Momo, and had her mutilated for public show. It'd been Hitsugaya who’d found her, making his normally cool head and clear Hue cloud with anguish and rage.

The rest had only been a matter of time, as his obsession with finding the serial killer upped his Crime Coefficient beyond what was respectable and he was labeled a latent criminal. Only his awesome skills and previous history had allowed him to keep working at the Unit but only under the watchful eye of an Inspector.

Not too long after she'd joined, he'd taken a bit of a liking to her, becoming her partner and making her life hell with his calculated recklessness. A hunting dog, that was what he was, and she'd become his leash. But over the last few months, Karin found that she didn't want that for him.

As she glanced over her shoulder to the doors he'd exited, her mind raced with the possibilities. There was too much potential being wasted, too much he could teach and do that would benefit their Division. As she looked down at her hands she couldn't help but wonder why the most fragile things in life were the most difficult to put back together.

* * *

"Stay here. I'll go first." Taking up a Dominator from its holster, Hitsugaya waited for Karin's affirmation before sneaking down the dark alleyway. The disturbance in the sensors of Sector 26 had the two of them in an abandoned building off the main road. For the most part this area of Seireitei had been abandoned, making any sort of reading an immediate sign of danger. Who knew what sort of degenerates were keeping house in this run-down neighborhood.

Creeping along the hallway, Toushirou used the scanner as he aimed with dangerous precision. The sound of steps had him dodging right behind a crumbled pillar as the sounds of gunshots echoed in the hall. The echo came from the pull of a semi-automatic coming one-hundred feet away near the south side. The criminal was probably making his way towards an obscure exit.

"Is everything alright in there?" Karin asked through the communicator at his wrist. He answered as he bolted in the direction of the footsteps.

"Suspect moving towards the south end. Support needed."

"Roger." The crackling of the static signaled she was on her way, no questions asked. The easiness almost made him smile.

There was an implicit trust Karin had that most would scoff at, something few Inspectors had for their Enforcers. Where Byakuya looked down at his subordinates with slight contempt, there was a certain amount of respect in Karin's that belied her belief in this world. A part of him hoped it was the only thing she wouldn't lose in this business. Looking back, Toushirou realized that he'd forgotten his and it'd ruined him.

Slamming hard against the pavement, Toushirou heard a door creak on its hinges as it was pushed open and a muffled curse came from the outside. Karin's voice filtered in with it, a calm, soothing tone in comparison to the madness the man was preaching. Death threats rained down on her, making Toushirou cock the gun as he prepared for the necessary conviction by the Sibyl System.

The automated voice read off the statistics.  _Crime Coefficient: 322. Mode set to Lethalizer. Locked on to target._

There was no hesitation when Hitsugaya skillfully dodged a bullet but his concentration was lost. Momentarily stunned, he hadn't been quick enough to stop the man from going after Karin, bullets ringing as she was forced back to find cover. And in that moment Toushirou was sure he saw red when he saw her collapse with a sharp intake of breath, blood pouring in shadows down the sleeve of her jacket.

The last of that human's existence was his maniacal laughter before he was terminated into nothingness.

* * *

Hobbling her way down the hall, Karin tried not to jostle her left shoulder too much. She was lucky. The criminal they'd given chase to was a poor shot, most likely too gone on drugs and alcohol to even know what was going on. But he'd taken them by surprise and she'd suffered for the mistake.

_Stupid Toushirou… Couldn't even check in and ask how I was doing…_ She should probably give him a little more leeway. She'd only been in the hospital for a night but still, they were partners. A little compassion would be nice. Hell, a ring on her communicator was more than enough. Which was why she was on her way to the training room, shoulder bandaged but dressed in her business suit. Crime didn't sleep, after all.

She found him pummeling away at a custom-made sparring robot, the metal chinking with blows that would've killed a human. Usually it was easy to forget he was a trained killer. He followed her orders perfectly but he was not without a mind of his own. If he'd gone past the point of no return a few years ago, Karin wasn't sure they'd be skilled enough to eliminate him.

The very thought made her stomach turn, uneasy.

"Done training for today?" she asked from the door, propping a shoulder against the frame. He took a few more shots at the already pinned dummy before getting up and wiping at his brow. Making his way over to a nearby bench, she watched him slip off his shirt with more interest than was necessary.

"Ah. I see you're feeling better," he remarked casually, taking a long swig of his water. From the corner of his eye he assessed her, saw how she was careful about moving her left arm. He took note of it as he screwed the top back on and rummaged through his things.

"Yeah, even though you didn't have the decency to ask yourself. Some subordinate you are," she chastised playfully. She treaded over to him. "But seriously, thanks for back there. It was a close call."

"Mm." Not an answer but an acknowledgement all the same. She should've known better than to expect anything more.

Grinning, she passed a glance over the droid and nearly cringed at the damage. More than once she'd heard the hell accounting had given him, saying that he shouldn't be so rough with the machines. But Karin had a feeling that he wasn't doing it on purpose. Toushirou was nearly a machine himself. His movements were precise, strong, an even match for any man with experience.

"You know, if you keep doing this to the equipment you're gonna get chewed out again."

As he took a seat, Karin passed an appreciative eye over his flawless form and almost scowled. She wasn't a teenager anymore, dammit.

"If they had better equipment I wouldn't have to destroy so many."

"But these are top of the line!" she crowed, eyes going wide at the sheer thought of Hitsugaya's capabilities. Had he been holding back all this time? "Are you really that strong? Hell, are you _human?_ "

"I bleed. Just not as readily as most," he shrugged, tossing the towel over his shoulders. Clear green regarded her like a lazy lion, uninterested but on-guard. "Don't tell me you came here about that."

"Of course not. I'm just surprised, is all. You don't seem so terrifying when we're out on the field."

"That's because we're on the same side. I'm not about to bite the hand that feeds me," Toushirou snorted as he leaned back to get a good look at her. He was glad to see the color had returned to her face and was darkening, irritation making itself known.

He liked that about her. She was no pushover, nor did she seem to fear him the way most did. A woman that could go toe-to-toe with him was rare, he thought, crossing his arms over his front thoughtfully. He must've unintentionally been giving her a strange look because she glowered at him and put her hands on her hips.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm here for your amusement."

He chuckled then, trying to bite back a grin. No one fought with him the way Karin did. "Aren't you?"

"No, I'm not! Stop it, Toushirou!" Stomping over, she grabbed the ends of his towel and yanked him forward to meet her gaze. The arrogance was silent, simmering, and it never failed to drive her crazy. "Do you really wanna mess with me?"

"Of course not. You're my Inspector and I'm your Enforcer, we're a team. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that." But although the words were kind, the sardonic tilt of his lip had her rolling her eyes. So he wanted a challenge, did he? Fine.

"What're you doing?" he asked, standing suddenly as she began to shrug off her blazer. Her loafers followed suit before she tied her hair into a high ponytail. It was reckless to even think she stood a chance but she didn't need him doubting her. There was a reason why she was assigned to this bureau.

"C'mon, big shot. If you think you can take me then do it," she taunted, moving to the middle of the floor.

"But you're injured," Toushirou said abruptly. His disbelief showed in the worried crease between his eyes. "I'm not going to spar with you, Kurosaki. I refuse."

"Fine then," she smirked, stretching her arms high before putting them up in a familiar guard, "I'll make you take me seriously."

Without warning she rushed him, lunging out a punch that he dodged without misstep. It hurt to follow with her left jab but she did it anyway, noticing how he glanced at the wound knowingly. The concern only made her come at him harder, barely touching him as he sidestepped her footwork with frustrating ease.

He only gave her a few minutes before he decided to end it. He refused to be the reason she ended up under Unohana's watch again. Carefully, he caught one punch in one hand and then the other. With a growl, she shoved at him with all the force she could generate but it still wasn't enough. And frankly, he was fine with that. He'd much rather protect Karin than have her defend herself.

All it took was a careful sweep to take her down, knocking her off balance and landing safely above her. Hitsugaya went to great lengths so that he wouldn't crush her, as he hovered with an annoyed glare. For what it was worth, Karin struggled to throw him but to no avail.

"I win. Now do you understand the difference between us, Inspector?" Toushirou mocked, still livid that she aggravated her injury just to play this game.

"I refuse to acknowledge anything. Best two out of three."

"Yeah, you would say something like that," he sighed, still pinning her hands above her head. And for a moment he could imagine what Karin would look like in his bed, spread out over dark sheets and posed in a way that would make any man's mind wander. And really, he was nothing more than that.

It was why he wasn't expecting her legs to wrap around his waist, as she used his weight to toss him to the side. With a grunt, Toushirou found himself staring up into a curtain of thick, black hair and satisfied eyes. But even though Karin had managed to get his wrists above his head, they both knew he was letting her keep him there.

"Ha! Not so perfect now, are you, Toushirou?" Karin laughed, face lighting up at her unexpected victory. He took in the way her mouth softened into a curve, the way the lines of her face relaxed. So pretty, so unlike a woman who wielded the most deadly weapon in the country. There was nothing he didn't admire about her.

The awe must've been more apparent than he thought because Karin started to redden, her gaze darting away with his inspection. He did the same out of respect and a little guilt, chiding himself for the indiscretion. Co-workers were off-limits, especially ones that outranked him. A mutual fling wasn't out of the question but she wasn't that type.

No, Karin was the kind of girl you took to meet your family. The complete opposite of what he needed right now. She'd be a distraction from his goal of finding that elusive killer, a man who never bothered to dirty his own hands and threw away others like pawns in a bigger scheme. And Karin deserved to be more than just a distraction.

That was what he thought when he stared back at her, seeing the emotions play out on her face. The way she licked at her lips was a distraction, the way she wrinkled her nose was a distraction, hell, just blinking was a distraction. Trouble, thy name is Kurosaki.

But he couldn't bring himself to care about that when he craned his neck up and kissed her. He left his arms against the ground, a sign of being at her mercy. And he would happily stay there as long as she kept him down, parting his lips so she could take the lead. Normally he wouldn't allow another this much power. He was the dominate one, the one with experience and an itch to scratch. Beautiful women were tools to feed that desire.

But not Karin. She was her own kind of opium that riddled his good sense, as she straddled his torso and put more pressure against his arms. Don't move, the gesture said in the way her lips were too busy to do. Don't move because I want to take you, I want you to give yourself to me.

And Hitsugaya was only too happy to oblige, fighting back a groan when Karin pulled far away enough to tease him, pressing little kisses instead of the deep, searching ones he was dying to taste on his tongue again. Instead he arched his neck in submission, an act he'd never offered another bed partner. Those women were always more docile, happy to react to his direction with pouting lips and sultry smiles.

So it was strange for him to give up control. Letting Karin have free reign was like stripping him of his arms and legs. He was vulnerable to her, and if she kept tonguing her way down his torso he might not even be able to protect himself from her.

A generous lover, Karin took her time nipping at Hitsugaya's neck after letting go of his hands. He wouldn't move them, not yet anyway, and that was enough for now. She didn't expect him to lie there and accept it all. She just wanted a little time to enjoy him in all his glory.

And she did, darting a hand into soft, snowy hair while the other brushed the hard planes of his chest. It was upsetting how perfect he was, Karin mused to herself as she sat fully against his hips. The resounding groan that escaped his mouth said she was settled someplace a little too close for comfort. Just the notion had her giggling as she playfully tilted her hips into him again, a harder brush that had Hitsugaya coming off the floor to meet her heat.

It took less than a nanosecond to have her under him, moving down her body like it was his to know, to own. Her hands struggled in the bond his one hand had over them while his other made quick work of the buttons of her white dress shirt. All she could do was gasp against his lips as fingers danced lazily along the lacy edges of her bra.

Her extravagance must've been surprising because he took a moment to run the middle bow between his index and thumb before smirking against her mouth. Karin was more than just a pretty face with curves that made his fingers itch. She wore her femininity inside her armor, a reminder no one else could see. He was one of the lucky few that got to see her in such disarray, hair fanned out as her lips released cries that made his cock go stiff.

"Oi, Hitsugaya, Kuchiki's lookin' for— _oh_."

Toushirou let out a rough curse as he felt Karin go stiff beneath his hands. Her fingers were beginning to clench and unclench, a sign of her struggle, while her abdomen bounced against the palm of his hand, breathing erratic. But she wasn't strong enough the throw him again nor would he let her. Instead he had a message he needed to send the unwanted intruder.

Settling on his haunches, Toushirou moved off of Karin before reluctantly letting go. She sat up quickly and held her shirt together, red infusing porcelain. Skin he should've been marking with his teeth, he thought bitterly.

Carefully Hitsugaya slid Karin into his lap, ignoring her protests as he glared up at Renji over her head. The stunned expression on his friend's face was priceless. "Tell him I'll be there in a moment."

"Um, uh… He said it was kinda urgent…" he stammered, looking away as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Somethin’ he needed to discuss with you privately."

"Fine. Could you wait outside then?" he asked, arms wrapping tighter around Karin's small, half-clothed form. "I don't want you seeing things you shouldn't be looking at."

"Gotcha." The door slammed quickly behind him.

"Fuck, I'm so screwed," Karin crowed, hiding her face in her hands. Although he wanted to be comforting the front of her shirt was still open and it was an unwelcome distraction. "Byakuya's going to kill me but not until _after_ I get a lecture about how stupid and incompetent I am, and then there's the Chairman who'll have my head plus a psych evaluation and maybe even reassignment—"

"Calm down, Kurosaki. They're not going to do any of that," Toushirou began buttoning up her blouse, enjoying the little shivers every time his fingers brushed skin.

"Oh? And how do you know?" she grumbled as she let him finish the last one.

"Because they're not going to find out."

"Oh, and what're you going to do? Blank Renji's memory? C'mon, Toushirou. Even you're not that crazy."

He stood up then, taking her with him so he could hold onto her a little longer. It seemed that smoking wasn't going to be his only bad habit. "Abarai is smart enough to know when to keep his mouth shut."

"And you're sure this is one of those times?"

He chuckled before reaching down to press a kiss to the side of her neck. "I'm sure. Don't worry."

Sidestepping her frozen form, he met his comrade outside and they made their way over to the conference room in which Kuchiki was waiting. The silence filtered in between them, strangely unhampered by the metaphorical elephant that seemed to follow them. That is, until they reached that last corner.

"So, who's tellin' Ichigo, you or Karin-chan?" He could hear the silent laughter in Renji’s voice.

"Neither of us, and if you'd like to keep your vocal cords you'd better do the same," Toushirou murmured menacingly. He shot the red-haired Enforcer a glare that could slice diamond, making the elder laugh jovially as he put his hands up in defense. Renji was no fool; he knew a losing battle when he saw one.

* * *

After that incident it was like nothing had changed. Karin and Toushirou still partnered up for nearly every case, went through the motions of life without the slightest hint of awkwardness. In fact, Karin would've been sure it was a dream if not for the knowing smile Renji sometimes sent her way. But there were no developments in their relationship.

She wasn't sure why she was so disappointed.

"Hey." Toushirou called out to her as she blankly looked out over the freeway. The automatic car moved seamlessly with the traffic, the steering wheel in place just in case manual was needed. But tonight had been a quiet run, just like all the others.

"Yeah?" she answered back, not taking her eyes off the road. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him turn to face her.

"Is there something wrong?"

_Only that I'm confused as hell while you're as normal as can be, you asshat._ "No, nothing. Why do you ask?" she offered with a polite smile. His guard went up immediately and she nearly laughed. Trust the hunting dog to know when his master wasn't in a good mood.

"I don't believe you."

"Well that's your prerogative," she sighed noisily, tired of this conversation. Honestly, she was dirty and tired and her head hurt. She couldn't summon the energy to care.

As he leaned forward, she tried not to watch him scrutinize her. "Are you upset about something?"

"No," she tried to say it nonchalantly but her voice went just a smidgen too high.

"Is it something I did?"

"No, of course not." The denial wasn't much better, as she shot a hand up to wave him off.

"Huh." When he moved back, Karin held her breath as he resumed his former position. Languid in his seat, some moments passed before she felt safe to exhale fully. However, her relief was short-lived.

"So you are mad at me."

"I didn't say that!" she sat up abruptly, neck snapping in his direction. "Don't go putting words in my mouth, Toushirou."

"Kurosaki, the entire team knows you're mad at me. You're a horrible liar." He looked fully unimpressed by her acting. Instead of making her want to confess, his assurance only rattled her cage more.

"Look, not everything is about you, okay? Just drop it."

"I would but it is me you're mad at, right? And I can't have the Inspector keeping me in check ready to get rid of me as soon as possible."

She knew the words were only a half-truth, a watered-down version of their relationship. There was a special understanding between them, one that most didn't fully grasp. But hearing him put it so easily made it feel like she was the only one who thought so.

They reached her apartment a few minutes later and still she refused to say anything. Instead she unbuckled her seatbelt and, without so much as a good night, slammed the car door behind her. Ignoring the sound of the opposing door, she jammed the 'up' arrow as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Kurosaki, wait," Hitsugaya started as he took long strides to reach her. Still she kept ignoring him even as she entered the lift, repeatedly pressing the close button in hopes he wouldn't catch up.

No such luck. "Look, I'm not in the mood, Toushirou. Ask me again when I'm not so irritated, okay?" Karin offered with a soft snarl. It was a fair warning. She didn't have the patience to sort out what happened that day. Because while it might've been fun and games for him, Karin wasn't like that. Her messed up feelings weren't toys to be used for his enjoyment.

"How about you look me in the eye and say what you've got to say?" he challenged. He crowded her against the cool steel wall, towering over her. She cocked her chin up at him, defiant even as he pressed his arms along the guardrail on either side of her.

"I'm not scared of you, Toushirou, so don't pull that cop shit on me." Blowing her bangs out of her hair, she darted her gaze over his shoulder, eagerly waiting for the elevator to reach her floor.

"Fine. Let's try this then." Without taking his eyes off her, he jabbed the bright-red emergency stop button. The carriage came to halt with a gentle shake and the voice of a computer asking if assistance was needed. Although Karin yelled yes, it was Hitsugaya who answered first.

"Why the hell would you do that?" she screamed, pushing at his unmoving form.

Not the least bit shaken, Toushirou continued on. "Because we were getting nowhere before."

"There is nowhere to go. You explained it perfectly, Toushirou. I am your boss and you are my subordinate. That's it. Now can you _please_ let me get back to my apartment in peace?"

With her fists balled at her sides, she could feel them tremble with all her pent-up stress. This wasn't how she wanted to confront their feelings—if total rejection of them could even be called confrontation. If he wanted to mess with someone, there were plenty of women who would be happy for his attention.

The thought literally made her nauseous as she finally ducked her head down, hiding from that obtrusive, cerulean glare and took a cleansing inhale. Karin didn't ask for this, for feelings that would definitely end up with her getting hurt. She couldn't afford to let him do that to her.

One minute she was clenching her eyes shut and trying to calm herself and the next she was hoisted against the wall, balancing precariously along the rail as her legs were forcibly wrapped around his waist.

"Toushirou, what're you—"

"Shut up," he commanded, diving straight for the pulse at her neck that quickened at his touch. The little mewl she gave, so quiet most wouldn't have even noticed, had him smug as he made his way down the column of her neck. He could feel her push at him but he wouldn't move. He wouldn't get a chance like this again.

Feeling her airways constrict, Karin arched readily into Hitsugaya with frightening ease. She'd never been good at this. Men said she was too controlled, too steady to be someone they'd lust after. But none of them had been Toushirou, whose hands seared down her front and set fire to the nerve endings in her chest.

He worked her body into overdrive, though she made a few half-hearted protests. She couldn't let him think she was easy, could she? But it was hard to fight when fingers that talented expertly removed her shirt and slipped beneath her bra, teasing her nipples with purpose. If she wasn't already putty in his hands, then the bowing of her back and soundless scream were her tells.

She was too busy pulling him up and pushing against his mouth, tangling their tongues together and making him grunt into her lips, that she missed one wayward hand. It found its way, pushing her skirt around her hips and exposing her to the chilled air. Instinctively she fought against it, shoving at the shoulders she had just been holding onto.

But Toushirou was far from satisfied. He crowded her against the metal wall and plundered her mouth with to distract her. He knew Karin well. She wouldn't back down from a challenge, especially not when his hips pressed into hers as he wound her up tight. His partner didn't like being shown up.

It worked exactly as he planned, as she gasped and pleaded in the sweetest, most sensual way that nearly had him undoing his own pants. Karin should never use the words 'please' or 'need' in such a deep, wanting tone. Men would fall to their knees everywhere and he'd truly become a criminal if they tried to encroach on his territory.

Working quickly, his fingers climbed under her skirt, trailing over the knee and savoring the feel of her strong thighs wrapped in stockings. But he didn't have time to linger. Time would catch up and he couldn't wait for another chance like this.

His hand seared heat into her skin as it crawled past the band of her stockings and into her underwear. Teasingly, he tapped a steady rhythm against her clit, making Karin whine as her hips moved forward to meet him. Her needy panting floated into the air as Toushirou laughed into the crook of her neck, sucking at a sensitive spot while she worked to get his fingers where she wanted them.

Luckily for her, Toushirou wasn't cruel enough to make her wait. His beloved Inspector would leave this lift fully satisfied, so long as she didn't throw him off. There was no reason to have her mad at him again.

Unprepared, Karin practically keened at the intrusion of the first finger, a shallow thrust that had her lungs grasping for air that suddenly seemed too thin. Hitsugaya was proving himself to be a master puppeteer, rubbing her slit with promise but refusing to sate her need. She seduced him back to her mouth and tasted him, demonstrating the skill she could be using on him if he'd please her just this once. Hitsugaya wasn't the only one with a few tricks up his sleeves.

Groaning into her mouth, he wasn't sure what to think what Karin upped the ante. A part of him wanted to taunt her more, make her wait until she begged for him. But another just wanted her at his mercy and screaming his name already, clawing at his clothes as she fell to pieces in his hands. He decided to be merciful as he slid his index finger into her slippery heat, moaning her name as she clamped onto it with vengeance.

"Oh God… _Toushirou_ …" Her voice was muffled by her own breath, as her head fell back, boneless. Her eyelids felt heavy with pleasure, feeling him work the first digit with mindful strokes. Trust the trained killer to be a gentle lover. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

He made that choice for her when he slipped in another digit, grunting as he rested in the crook of her neck. It was with morbid fascination that he watched his lower hand, imagining what it looked like beneath the obstruction of her skirt. It must've been quite the sight because Karin was whimpering for him again, his name interjected between cusses and prayers.

Never one to disappoint, the gentle pumping of his hand fell into a harder, faster rhythm. Hearing Karin's cries grow louder, wilder, he hushed her with another seeking kiss, the kind that would leave her lips raw and tender to touch. And all the while her body moved in perfect tandem with his own, her hips spreading to accommodate the feel of four fingers stretching her wide.

His thumb happily nicked the sensitive nub with every shift of her hips, making her rock against him in helpless abandon. And just by the feel of her, Toushirou knew he'd never be able to forget the smell of Karin's heat at the peak of climax, or the tensing of her body as she let him push her over that pivotal edge. Even more than that, he knew it was only a matter of time before he wrapped her in his arms and made her burn for more than a senseless quickie in an elevator.

He removed his fingers from her gingerly, listening to the low moan that he wasn't sure was from pain or loss. Her limbs were still around him, weak but refusing to let go. That was fine with him, he thought as he grinned and leaned in to press a kiss to the back of her ear. The gentle swat against his back only made him smile wider.

Even in the midst of post-climax, Karin's sharp tongue didn't dull. "This doesn't change anything, you know."

"I think you're wrong," he argued back, pulling away to peck another kiss on her lips. The grumpy expression she aimed at him didn't wither his arrogance.

"You can think whatever you want. I'm still mad at you."

"So you were mad at me," Toushirou pointed out, stepping away so she could fix herself. He watched her cringe at her own slip-up, crossing his arms over his chest knowingly.

"Please don't look so smug. I hate it when you look at me like that."

"I only do it when I'm right."

She snorted, adjusting her bra and forcing his gaze to appreciate her form. "You're not always right."

"I'm right about this."

Biting her lip, Karin couldn't find it in herself to meet his gaze. This wasn't normal, whatever this was. And she'd known that for a long time. There were boundaries that weren't meant to be crossed and yet it was so easy for them to leap over them, no consideration for what the consequences might be. And there would be consequences. There always were.

But Toushirou moved just a little bit faster than her worries. He pulled her close and tucked her under his chin, so sure of the things she couldn't accept. She didn't understand how he knew exactly what to say to soothe her fears away.

"Karin, I am your partner. No matter what, I will always put you first."

* * *

It was easily the most gruesome crime scene she'd ever witnessed.

Taking in the blood spattered like paint across a canvas, Karin barely had the presence of mind to look at the body that'd been left mangled in the middle. Posed in a disturbingly beautiful way, it was more like a sculpture than the corpse of young woman.

The robots began scouring the scene, taking pictures and picking up trace evidences to be brought back to the lab for analyzing. Their wheels rolled along the cement floor, accompanying the hushed voices of her subordinates. It was too similar to be coincidence, and they'd been around long enough to know there were no such things as coincidences.

Against her will, her eyes drifted over to Toushirou's still form, features set in stone, guarded as he took in each detail with slowly growing anger. She'd snooped into his case files before, saw the work he'd done on the case that had cost him his Inspector badge. She also knew that he wasn't about to fail again, not after what happened last time. It was only a matter of time.

* * *

When he leaves, Hitsugaya vanishes from their lives as if he never existed.

And it was Karin who was left to pick up the pieces as if it didn't kill her to know that he was never coming back.

* * *

With a tired sigh, she entered her apartment, stretching out her limbs as the lights flickered on. Returning Ririn's greeting, Karin hopped into the bathroom to quickly bathe before she settled down to eat. But she wasn't eager to sleep, she reminded herself as she tucked herself into a small ball, coated by steam. There were no distractions when the darkness crept in and her thoughts were free.

It'd been nearly two weeks since Toushirou had quit the force. His personal vendetta against Aizen would be his undoing, she knew it. Not only did it cost him his job, it would likely take his life as well. If he ever came under a Dominator's radar again he would no longer be labeled a latent criminal but a vigilante, and there was a good chance that she'd be the one on the opposite side of the trigger.

_It doesn't matter_ , Karin mused, closing her eyes as she reclined against the porcelain tub. The day before he left, Hitsugaya had spoken to everyone about his intentions, whether in person or by phone. He felt the need to explain himself before he left.

To everyone except her.

"He's an idiot who's going to get himself killed. That's not my problem anymore," she tried to convince herself but it only made her stomach hollow out. Good enough to work with, good enough to kiss in dark corners, but not worthy of a goodbye. She knew she shouldn't have cared.

She quickly dried herself off and changed into her pajamas, running a towel though her hair as she stepped back into her bedroom. But she slowly came to a halt as a feeling settled in her gut. She noted that the lights had been turned off and Ririn was nowhere in sight. As the alarm bells went off in her head, she immediately moved towards her desk for the gun she kept there.

"There's no need for that, you know."

Her hand froze before she could grab the handle, suspended in air as if time had come crashing down around their ears. And she was almost afraid this moment wasn't real, that it was just a hallucination. Because Karin had indeed missed him, had hated how he didn't stay, had loathed how he left without a word. All because she was sure she didn't hate him at all.

"Karin," he spoke, the same voice that had haunted her at night. She wanted to slam her palms over her ears and wish him away.

"What're you doing here?" she asked. Her voice came out stronger than she expected and she was proud of that. As she turned to look at him, Karin refused to give him even the slightest advantage.

Dressed in plain clothes, Hitsugaya Toushirou was as devastatingly beautiful as he always was. He no longer wore the Bureau's jacket and had swapped it for worn black leather. His dark jeans were highlighted by the moonlight streaming in through the balcony, the only source of light. It didn't take long for her to figure out that he'd deactivated her A.I.'s system, properly dismantling any surveillance that might find him. He wasn't considered a genius for nothing.

"What're you doing here, Toushirou?" Karin shot her query with a glare, her position turning defensive.

"I came to see you," he spoke gently, coaxingly. He always knew the right words to diffuse a situation. Too bad she was too wary of him to care.

"Really? Then you're wasting your time. You're about two weeks too late."

"I know that. You think that's how I wanted to leave?" he sneered back. She didn't know the whole story and he hadn't had the will confront her then. Before he resigned, the Chairman had decided he was a live wire and had cut him from the case. This was the only way he could seek his revenge.

It just so happened that the price for freedom was high. "I needed to see you in person. I didn't want you to hear what I did from someone else."

"Again, you're too late for that, so unless you have any information for me I want you to leave." Turning on her heel, she moved to reboot her system.

She was only half-surprised by the presence that shadowed her, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close. He didn’t have the courage to tell her how weak she made him. There was something about Karin that shredded proper thought and pushed him into a corner. When he was contemplating his options, he knew he couldn’t ask her to leave the Bureau and come with him. His mission was suicide and Karin deserved so much better than a life on the run.

That didn't mean he was ready to let her go, however. "I've missed you." The words fell like a prayer from his lips. It made her breath hitch, fingers tightening along his arms. He could feel the anger resonate off her. They weren't the words she wanted to hear but they were the only ones he had.

"Don't fucking play these games, Toushirou. I won't do this with you again," she growled. She tried to push him off but he only clamped onto her tighter. "Let go of me! I'm not going to forgive you just like that."

"Good. Don't forgive me. Don't look for me," he told her, feeling her struggles lessen with each word. "You know what I'm going to do, Karin. You know I can't come back from this."

"Then don't do it. Don't kill him." He listened to the waning of her voice, how it fell into little more than a plea. "We'll get him so come back. Don't ruin your life for him."

"It's not that simple."

"Bullshit," Karin snarled, finally pushing him away. The resolution in his face made her voice crack with anger. "If this means so much to you, why are you here? Why the hell would you risk getting caught by the scanners?"

She felt his silence all over, licking at old wounds and making them burn. It looked like they weren't anything except partners down to the very last second. He hadn't cared nearly as much as she had and that, Karin thought, might've been the worst part. No matter how close they came together, they would never truly be equals.

"You need to leave," she repeated, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself. A comfort he couldn't afford to offer.

But Hitsugaya didn't leave. He didn't want to if Karin looked at him like that, so bruised by the trust he'd wittingly broken. What he was doing was inexcusable but it had to be done. Aizen wouldn't be stopped by a system that favored him. And if he had to sacrifice his life for justice, then he had to take his chances before he disappeared again.

Karin felt the air shift as he closed the miniscule distance between them. She couldn’t say she didn’t expect his forwardness, his kiss tasting of desperation and regret. She wondered for a moment if that was all their relationship would be years from now, as she watched him even as he cupped her cheek and embraced her. Were they nothing more than a willful pairing whose relationship had run its course? It was a sad way to look at it, and it made her heart throb in her chest.

Toushirou could almost hear those treacherous thoughts, could feel it in the way she refused to react to him. And he knew it was selfish to want her when he didn’t know what the future held. But that was why he couldn’t let this be the way they parted. He held an impossible hope that one day they’d find each other again.

If not in this life, then maybe their next.

Because there was no doubt in his mind that he needed her, would always need her in some way. It made him desperately want to strip her bare of those defenses that he’d forced her to put up. And he needed to lay his own sins before her. There was no one’s opinion that mattered more than Karin's, who regarded him with eyes torn between betrayal and reluctant acceptance. As he kissed her deep, he wanted to will those doubts away for a night.

There was nothing like knowing your partner so well that each touch could electrify her insides and send her head spiraling. Pressing the back of her hand to her lips, Karin clamped her eyes shut as she fought to keep her satisfaction in. She couldn’t let him know that the feeling of his mouth at her breast was making her hot, couldn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him in again. Her weakness was his win and she had too much pride for that.

But there was something different about today. Where there was usually skill and playfulness, his affection was replaced by anxious desire. Deep down she understood every tentative lick and each confident stroke of his hands, Toushirou was trying to convey apologies in his kisses and promises in his palms. It made tears rush to her eyes, as she choked down a sob. He really was leaving and this might just be their last moment together.

If it was, Karin knew she couldn’t let it end like this. The memory of him might not be enough, but it was certainly warmer than holding her emotions in. Their goodbye would be one last secret to share. She whimpered at the notion as she pulled him to her and held him there, pretending her eyes didn’t burn with each breath they shared. They were on borrowed time, after all.

Toushirou loved her well into the night, savoring each pretty gasp and the sound of his name as it tumbled from her mouth. He’d remember how her fingers curled into the sheets above her head as he lifted her hips and how her eyes seemed to glitter up at him. But he’d mostly remember that telling beam that she always wore, her hands reaching out for him as he pushed into her body. There was so much honesty in it, none of which he deserved. He hoped that one day he’d prove himself worthy of it again.

Hiking her up to meet his thrusts, Hitsugaya panted harshly as he whispered nonsensical words into her skin. Curse words, love words, words he thought he might never get to say again. And she absorbed each one as he pushed into her over and over again, making her cry out for more. She hitched a leg over his hip and adjusted the angle just as he put on arm beside her head and fell into her deeper.

Their coupling lasted for hours until Karin fell fast asleep from exhaustion, chest rising and falling in a hummingbird rhythm. And even though he knew he had to leave, Toushirou couldn’t bring himself to do it just yet. Instead he memorized the soft lines of her face as he traced her form with gentle wonderment, the kind of touch that would comfort rather than arouse. It was the very last thing he wanted to do for her, even if she’d never know it.

He murmured his last words into her ear before pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll see you soon, Karin.” It was a lie she’d see right through but one he needed to say. Maybe if he did it would come true.

As he dressed himself quietly he hoped that it wasn’t just lip service, he mused before turning his back on his partner. For a moment he hovered at the table near her bed before leaving her apartment for good. And for a second time, Hitsugaya leaves her behind, knowing it wouldn't hurt either of them any less.

When the door closed softly, Karin allowed herself to slit her eyes open. And slowly she sat up, body sore and warm from his caresses. She walked to where she'd heard him stop, unembarrassed by her unclothed state. Instead her attention was held by the gift he'd left. The green scarf he used to wear off-duty, his final goodbye to her. Her heart screamed even as she wrapped it around her neck before climbing back into bed and willing any other thought away.

That night she dreamed for the first time in weeks. She imagined a world without the Sibyl System, of a place where free will reigned and where crime was far more rampant. But it was a small price to pay to have Toushirou at her elbow, gun at his waist and his hand brushing hers. She dreamed of the day when they'd be partners again, her body still bathed in his scent and the wool scarf tangled in her fingers.


End file.
